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Simple and Delicious Spinach Salad

I'm excited that my strawberries and blueberries are growing like crazy this year. I've been trying to think of creative ways to eat them, and one of my favorites so far is a Strawberry, Blueberry, Spinach Salad. It's simple, delicious and perfect for the summer! 


Ingredients: 

Organic Spinach: Spinach is low in calories and packed with nutrition. One 40 calorie cup has all you need for vitamin K and A for the day, plus folate, and manganese. It contains cancer-fighting antioxidants, improves cardiovascular health, protects against aging and improves brain function!


source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/2700-facts-health-benefits-spinach/

Organic Strawberries: One Serving of strawberries has more vitamin C than an orange. Strawberries increase HDL cholesterol, also protect against cancer and can help lower blood pressure. 


source: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/nutritional-benefits-of-the-strawberry

Organic Blueberries: Also are packed with Vitamin C, manganese which is important  for converting fats, proteins and carbohydrates into energy. Blueberries are loaded in antioxidants, they come close to being one of the top choices when it comes to antioxidant activity per serving! We all know that antioxidants are extremely important because they fight off free radicals which are linked to cancer.


source: http://www.blueberrycouncil.org/health-benefits-of-blueberries/blueberry-nutrition/

 Toasted Organic Walnuts: Walnuts are a great source of omega-3 essential fatty acids. They can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol,  and increase HDL (good) cholesterol. Walnuts are also high in antioxidants, and excellent source of Vitamin E, B complex vitamins and minerals such as manganese, copper, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium.  They are also a great source of protein, with about 15g per serving. They are a bit high in fat and calories... so don't get too crazy on them! To toast walnuts Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange walnuts on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, checking frequently.


source: http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/walnuts.html

 Goat Cheese: Goat cheese is low in calories compared to other cheeses. "Goat cheese is higher in vitamins, D, K, thiamine and niacin than a serving of cow's cheese. A serving of goat cheese has the same amount of vitamin A as cheddar cheese, with 6 percent the daily value. Goat cheese is also high in the B vitamin riboflavin, as well as the mineral phosphorous. The body cannot produce vitamins and minerals on its own, so goat cheese provides a source of these micronutrients."

Source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/402645-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-eating-goat-cheese/

 Dressing of your choice- I used an Organic Champagne Dressing, but any type of balsamic or  poppyseed dressing would work too. 


Combine all the ingredients and...... 

Enjoy!

Feel those Legs and Lungs Burn!

So this was my workout of the day. My goal was to get a quick, intense workout that blasted calories and focused on my lower body.  This is one of my favorite workouts right now! Try it if you dare!

Equipment: timer, jump rope, medicine ball or dumbbell

Set your timer for 6 rounds,   50 seconds work, 10 seconds rest:




Skip rope high knees 

Sprinter jumps right   ( get in sprinter stance with right foot in front- left leg back- push off right heel and jump up in air,  land back in sprinter stance)


Sprinter jumps left  ( get in sprinter stance with left foot in front- right leg back- push off right heel and jump up in air,  land back in sprinter stance)

Sit up to Squat (hold a medicine ball or dumbbell,   do a sit up with feet in squat stance, push off heels and squat up)

Speed skaters

Skip rope  high knees


Sprint around block

Rest 



Skip rope high knees

Star jumps   lower and hug knees jump up into a jumping jack- land back in starting position

Half burpees  no pushup - come up to chair position, hold a count and go back into burpee

Broad jump tuck jump jump forward as far as you can, tuck jump, jump backwards as far as you can, tuck jump

Single leg squat 30 sec each leg

Skip rope high knees


Sprint around the block

Rest

Repeat once more for a total of 4 rounds! This workout should take you about 30-35 minutes to complete, depending on how big  the block you are sprinting around is!




This will get your legs and lungs burning! 
Enjoy!

Dare to Conquer the Chair

I did this workout last night and it's a killer! You can break it up and just do the strength or add the 10 min AMRAPs to get in a full hour of high intensity challenge. See video below for exercise demo.

Here's the break down of the workout.

Equipment: Chair, timer, Dumbbell and a mat is optional


1st Part is strength:   Set your timer for 9 rounds. One minute of work and 20 seconds rest.

1. Round Kick Reverse Lunge Right Leg
2. Round Kick Reverse Lunge Left Leg

3. Single leg Chair dips alternating legs
4. Elevated Pushup with knee drives  focus on keeping your core tight

5. Single Right Leg Squat - come down slow and controlled with barely any weight in the chair
6. Single Left Leg Squat

7. Right arm Row with Left leg raise  squeeze shoulder blade into spine, squeeze your glute when you lift      your leg
8. Left arm Row with Right leg raise

9. Elevated leg sit up



2nd Part AMRAP Cardio:  Set your timer for 10 minutes. Do as many rounds as possible of the following:

10 reps:  Burpee with pushup
               Floor touch jumping jacks
               Mt Climbers
              Tuck Jumps
              plank Jumps
              Squat Jumps


Repeat the Strength and AMRAP once again, for an hour workout!   If you want to shorten the workout and focus more on strength, do two rounds of the strength part. The AMRAP can be done solo as well if you are looking for a quick, intense burst of cardio.

Portland Rock N' Roll Half Marathon

Yesterday I ran in the first ever Portland Rock n' Roll half Marathon. I can honestly tell you that the overall training experience, race and recovery has been night and day compared to training for a full marathon. I think that training worked well with my busy schedule, didn't completely take over my weekends, and I was still able to enjoy other physical activities because I wasn't tired from long training runs. I'd highly recommend training for a half marathon for anyone interested in endurance events. The distance is challenging, it doesn't set you back a week to recover from, and the last two miles you aren't asking yourself why you are doing this!
I ran the 1/2 just under 2 hours, which was my goal. I didn't do as much speed work as I would of liked too... but with all of my fitness classes and other outdoor interests, I managed to fit in a short run during the week, and a long run on the weekends. The weather was perfect, cool with a slight mist. The race was well organized, and there were plenty of aid stations.

This was the training program I followed loosely. I wasn't training to race.... and I only fit in two runs a week....

I averaged 8:55 per mile...  I ran at a comfortable pace, and I probably could of pushed it a little harder, but my main goal was to finish strong, and have fun! 1:57 was my finishing time, which honestly isn't very fast, but at least there's room for improvement! 

The course was really fun, it was mostly on the east side of Portland, it started on the waterfront and then headed towards Mt. Tabor. The last half of the race was a slight down hill which I was pretty happy about. I learned my lesson from the last race I was in, and started off slow... and each mile I got faster and faster. I love negative splits! I enjoy running in these big events, it is so inspiring to see people of all ages, shapes, fitness levels, working so hard to accomplish a goal! It's also so humbling when 50 year olds are passing me... gives me hope for the future! 

So would I run another half marathon? Hell yeah! Another Marathon? No Way!   Until next time! Happy training!

Half Way through-  I'm still smiling cause I only have 6.5 miles to go! 

My boyfriend was taking photos of me while he was on his skateboard, he skated with me for a few minutes at the half way point! ( A great place to have your cheer squad is at the half way point!) 

Boxes and Bars Workout

I've been feeling the minimal equipment workouts lately! Easy to set up, and get right to business! Here's a new workout that will only require a bench or box, a 15-30 lb bar and timer. It should take you 20-30 minutes to complete, depending on how many rounds you decide to do. See video below for exercise breakdown. Good luck!

Equipment: Timer, Box/Bench, and 15-30lb bar

Set your timer for 8 rounds
One minute of work, 20 seconds rest

Warm up 5-10 minutes

1.Burpee Box Jumps  - Do a burpee and jump up on box landing in a squat with soft knees- jump or step back down

2. Overhead Squat  - Beginners should rest bar on shoulders instead of holding bar up over head until you are confident in a traditional squat. Push bar up into the ceiling, keep hips back and drive through your heels.

3. Overhand Grip Row and Right Leg lift - squeeze shoulder blades into spine, squeeze your right booty cheek, keep abs on, hips square to floor.

4. Underhand Grip Row and Left Leg lift- squeeze shoulder blades into spine, squeeze your left booty cheek, keep abs on, hips square to floor.

5. Bench Bar Pushup with Swivel.   Perform your pushup- keep abs on- opposite knee to shoulder on both sides

6. Lateral Box Jumps- drive off foot that's on the bench.

7. Triceps Bench Dips

8. Bench Taps



Repeat 2-3 times

Stretch and cool down

Balls to the Walls 30 Minute Workout

This workout can be done almost anywhere. All you need is a wall, ball and timer. I'm using an 8 lb medicine ball in my workout today, obviously the lighter the ball the easier, so pick a weight that's challenging. Good luck and let me know how it went! 

Equipment: Open Wall Space, Medicine Ball and Timer

Set your timer for 6 rounds. 50 seconds of work and 10 seconds rest

Complete 3 rounds.

Warm up  5-10 minutes

1. Wall Ball Shots   Squat and toss medicine ball, catch it on your way down

2. Wall Knee Tucks  Abs tight- alternate drawing knee to chest

3. Wall Sit   Squeezing medicine ball between your knees

4. Hand Stand use wall for balance  or Wall Walk ups

5. Wall Glute Press - keep hips lifted and glutes tight

6. Medicine Ball Burpee Pushup Toss

Cool Down and Stretch after your 3rd round

See Video Below for Exercises

Confused about What Oil to Cook with?

http://www.eatingrules.com/2012/02/cooking-oil-comparison-chart/

Deciding what oil to cook with can be very confusing. For years we were told all fat was bad, but there's a lot more to it.... The right fats are essential to healthy living and provide many health benefits.  Hope this helps when choosing which fats/oils to cook with and consume.

Click on the photo to enlarge or visit the link posted above!

My photos made it on the Nike "make it count" site!

Can you find me?

Roller Skating and Skateboarding Counts! 

Extreme Cardio Challenge... HIIT

                                                    Can you handle the Challenge? 

Hey guys! Thought I'd post a 10-20 minute cardio challenge you can do anywhere.  I did this one yesterday for 15 minutes and was on the floor, huffing and puffing when that timer went off. This is a great workout if you are short on time, equipment or want something that's short/intense and will seriously kick your ass.

Here it goes.  Set your timer for either 10, 15 or 20 minutes.  You will do 20 reps of each exercise, non stop  (take breaks when necessary, but your goal is to push hard the whole time).  I will post a video, with a  break down of the exercises shortly.

20 burpees  (push up is optional)
20 Squat Jumps   ( modify with squats for beginners)
20 Mountain Climbers  ( 20 each leg)
20 Ninja Jumps  ( Plank jumps for beginners)
20 Split Lunges   ( 10 each leg  or 20 reverse lunges for beginners)


This will have you gassed out, and on your way to getting lean and mean.

Before you are ready to quit....

No Excuses!!!! 

Body Composition....

This is one reason why you shouldn't let the scale get you down! Muscle is more dense than fat! Here's a photo one of my friends sent to me the other day. I'd thought I'd pass it along.

Instead of using the scale to track my personal  weight loss progress and clients progress, I like to take measurements. Not all positive body changes are visible on the scale, especially not changes in muscle density. Use a tape measure and write down the measurements of your natural waist, the widest part of your hips, around your thighs, calves and biceps....   after a few weeks measure again. 


The exercise that you'll do in any comprehensive weight loss program will help you build muscle and gain a firmer, stronger overall physique. However, because muscle is heavy and dense, you might not see a drop on the scale when you gain muscle. You might even see the scale numbers rise as you get healthier and stronger! Having more muscle and less fat is a huge part of what will make you look skinny, but your scale could never show you how much muscle you've built.

A beautiful backside

This workout should take 30 minutes or less with warm up and cool down. This is a full body workout, that focuses  on your backside...   triceps, upper and lower back, glutes and hamstrings ( usually all trouble spots for women).

Equipment: Timer, Mat and Dumb bells

Workout Breakdown: Set your timer to 9 rounds. 1 minute of work, 20 seconds rest. Repeat twice!

See Video below for exercise breakdown. 

Warm up

1. Hot potato squats

2. Pike, Traditional and Diamond Pushup combo

3. 3 Squat pulses with one Squat Jump combo

4. Forward alternating lunge with overhead triceps extension

5. Reptile Burpees

6. Deadlift with cobra combo

7. Mule kicks

8.  Row with right leg lift

9. Row with left leg lift

Repeat

Cool Down and stretch!

Supplements....

 In a perfect world, I truly believe that if you eat a well balanced and healthy diet, you don't need to supplement. But most of us live in an imperfect world... and using supplements can make a difference in your health, energy levels and well being. Supplements can get spendy, but it's well worth the price if you diet is lacking. I have really noticed a difference in my sleep and mood since I've been taking Vitamin D. I live in the Pacific Northwest, so I don't see the sunshine enough. People who are exposed to normal quantities of sunlight do not need vitamin D supplements because sunlight promotes sufficient vitamin D synthesis in the skin. 

These are the supplements I take in the photo up above. Fish oil for overall mind and body health. Fish oil contains important omega-3 fatty acids that reduce risk of heart attack and coronary heart disease, combats depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, ADHD, and more! It helps with weight loss, fertility, pregnancy and skin care too! Biotin is very important for the metabolism. Biotin also known as vitamin H, is used to enhance skin growth, healthy hair, and strong nails. It can aid in losing weight by increasing energy. Vitamin D also promotes weight loss. Vitamin D boosts the immune system, and fights off viral infections. Vitamin D can protect against some cancers, increase calcium absorption, and stimulates cell differentiation. Multi vitamins are a good way to make sure you are getting all the nutrients you need. Ideally a healthy diet should be enough, but it's a good nutrition insurance policy.

20 minute Jump Rope Workout

20 minute jump rope workout. 

Repeat this 4 times 

2 minute boxer shuffle,

 I minute in/out jumps ( like jumping jacks), 

30 seconds right leg only, 30 seconds left leg only, 

one minute high knees, 

then rest 30 second! 

Good luck! 

Use it or Lose it... Time to be Proactive instead of Reactive

Wake up calls can be the catalyst to changing up unhealthy habits and lifestyles. Your doctor diagnoses you with diabetes, you have no choice but to exercise and watch your diet. You realize you can't walk up a flight of stairs without heaving and gasping for breath,  you know you need to quit your smoking habit. Maybe a family member has to go through extensive heart surgery, from high high blood pressure and clogged arteries, as a result of not exercising and eating unhealthy their whole life.  Maybe a friend's liver fails because they have been drinking heavily for the last 10 years... Maybe your lower back is aching all the time, and you injure it at work because your core is weak..... When your health begins to effect the quality of your  life, it can really be an eye opener, a game changer. Your health is priceless. You can have all the money in the world, but if you are unhealthy and weak, your quality of life will be poor.

But why wait until you get to that point? Start being proactive about your health now, before it's too late. It's selfish not to take care of your body. If you are a parent, you need to stay healthy to provide for your family and be a role model for your children. It's not fair to your  spouse or partner if you don't take pride in your health, your looks will diminish faster, you won't be a good lover, your life span will be shorter...  It isn't fair to your grand children, if you won't be able to play and enjoy a healthy life with your grand kids. It isn't fair to your family and friends that want to spend as much time on this planet with you as possible... You owe it to yourself and the people you love to treat your health with utmost importance.
Why wait until you get to the point of no return?

Don't be reactive and wait till you hit the absolute rock bottom! Be proactive about your health and the way you want to live out the rest of your life. Eat healthy, exercise, manage your stress, try to be the best human you can be, not only for yourself but for those that care about you. Don't wait until it's too late to do anything. It's tough to exercise when you are extremely overweight, don't let yourself get to that point! Strengthen your  body and core to prevent injuries! It's much tougher trying to get back to the gym or an exercise regimen  after a back or knee surgery. Quit smoking now, instead of waiting 10 years down the road, and seeing your skin and lungs health suffer.  Today is the first day of the rest of your life, it's never too late to make positive changes in your life.

If you are overweight, smoke, drink excessively,  addicted to drugs, sedentary, extremely stressed out-  you really need to give yourself a wake up call. Sometimes it's tough to admit it, but it will save you a hell of a lot of complications down the road if you make the changes NOW!  Not only can a unhealthy lifestyle  cost you lots of money on health care bills, it can cost you your life.


Answer the following questions honestly. I believe that these are bare minimum  physical fitness  requirements for any healthy adult. And with this I mean, BARE minimum....  If you can help it, don't ever let yourself get to the point of not being able to do the following in your adult years... I'll give you some slack after 70! :)

Can you  speed walk, jog, or run a mile without stopping? (  running 8-10 minute per mile, jogging should take 10-12 minutes, walking 12-15 minutes)

Can you do one pushup from your toes?  From the knees if you are a women?

Can you do one pull up? Can you hold your chin above a bar for 5-10 seconds if you are a woman?

Can you do bench step ups for 2 minutes without having to stop. ( just stepping up and down on a bench)


I'm not trying to be harsh, but if you cannot complete the exercises above, you are teetering at borderline... it's time to turn it around, before it's too late.

Being able to jog, climb stairs, push and pull your body weight are all functional movements to living a healthy and normal life. What if you fall down, and need to get up quickly in an emergency? What happens if you don't have the strength to push yourself up?  What if your child is hurt at the park, and you need to run 400 meters to get a first aid kit, and you don't have the stamina?  What if your kids want to play tag, and you can't keep up or don't have the energy? What if you are attacked, and you can't run away, or you can't pull yourself up from a fall? What if you can't pick up a package at work correctly by using your legs, and put your back out?  I'm not trying to scare you, but by being fit and strong, you have more power and control over situations in your life. It's a nice feeling when you feel capable in your body.

So the motto, "use it or lose it" is really is true. If you don't incorporate exercise in your daily routine, your muscles wills start to atrophy... you will get weaker and weaker. A body with lower muscle composition, has a slower metabolism, so not only are you getting weaker, it's much easier to gain weight. It can be a viscous cycle.  As the years go by, you get weaker and weaker, and pack on the pounds... who can honestly say that's how you want your life to be?

Start by making small steps in the right direction towards living healthier lifestyle. Most of us know how to live a healthy lifestyle, it's really taking the steps and actually implementing what you need to do that is the tough part. It can be frustrating working with 45, 50 year olds that waited their whole life to exercise and eat right. It's tough to undo all the previous unhealthy years. Make the changes in your 20's or early thirties, before your unhealthy habits catch up to you! But whatever age you are, taking the steps to controlling your health and exercise habits is the smartest move you can make.   Not taking responsibility for your health is selfish. The outcome of being unhealthy can negatively affect your family and friends. You owe it to yourself and the ones that love you.

Ok, I'll step off my soap box. That was my rant of the day!

Cheers to your health!
Joc

Bringing Intention and Purpose to your workouts

I see the same mistake happen day in and day out at the gym.  People come to workout  with the intent to do something with purpose, something worthwhile, something to make a positive change. The problem? Although they have all the best intentions in the world...  they are treading water, not seeing results, not making the most of their time.  I  observe people coming in to work out, they are in a good mood usually, knowing that they are making an attempt to do something worthwhile and with meaning... but the second they hit the floor, a clueless expression hits their face. They look around at all the people lifting weights, doing classes, and wander into the cardio area.

"What are you gonna do today?"
"I think I'm just gonna do what I always do, maybe  some cardio on the elliptical or treadmill   and then abs, I don't know?"


Walking into a gym can be intimidating. There's lots of equipment, machines, gadgets, guys grunting,  that can make your experience overwhelming. But this is no excuse to bee line it to the nearest elliptical, pop on your headphones and zone out for an hour on a few episode of Friends.  Sure there's a few benefits to zoning out on cardio, it's a good stress reliever, great for a recovery workout, it lifts your spirits, and it's good for those who are just starting off. But most of us go to the gym for more... at least that's what I'm told when people come up to me asking questions and saying things like:

"How can I lose my belly?"
"I want to do 10 pushups from my toes,  but I'm too weak to do even one!"
"I want to lose this last 10 lbs, but I just can't!"
"How can firm my butt?"
"I want to do a pull up!"
"I workout for an hour a day, why aren't I seeing results?"
"I'm trying to improve my 5k time from last year, what should I do?"
"How do you get a six pack?"
"I just had surgery on my knee, how can I get my strength back?"

Ask yourself, why do you workout? What is your purpose and intention when you come to the gym?

Here's my answer.   I workout because it makes me feel better, I like to feel challenged. I love putting my body to the test, and pushing farther than I thought I could go. I like to feel and look fit, healthy and in shape. I like to feel like I'm getting stronger, faster, more flexible. I could go on and on... but you get the picture. We all have our reasons of why we exercise and workout, the point I'm trying to get to is that you must bring that purpose and intent with you to the gym, to every workout!

Before I head out to do my workout, I set aside a few minutes to think about the intention of my workout that day.   If it's a strength day,  I have my workout either printed out, written down or on my phone....
If it's one of my running days,  I have my speed work planned, or my mileage/time  goal set.  If I'm trying to get in my cardio and strength at the gym, I have a HIIT, Tabata etc workout planned and mapped out.  If it's a recovery workout, I decide on a light to moderate workout, and make time for stretching and using the foam roller, or doing some Yoga.  My point is.... don't waste your time aimlessly  when you get to the gym!
Have your game plan ready before you get to the gym!

What if you don't even know where to start in the first place? You've been doing the same thing for months, not seeing results, and it's getting frustrated right? Don't you want something to show for all that sweat?

Here's some advice that will help you get out of that rut, and bring some purpose to your workouts!  Break out of your comfort zone and back each and every workout with intention!

• Try taking new classes! Group exercise classes are a great way to break out of your routine. Being in a group dynamic pushes you, and it's a great opportunity to learn new exercises that you can incorporate in your own workouts.  If you want to improve your cardio endurance, try a Spin Class. If you want to strengthen your core, do an Ab class or Yoga class. If you want to tone up and lean out,  try a strength training class.  If you are looking to step it up to the next level, try  boot camp or Cross fit. There's so many classes out there now, there's sure to be one you find that suits your style and goals. 
• Hire a personal trainer to teach you how to safely work out efficiently and effectively. Most trainers will be more than happy to put you on a weekly routine, push you, and monitor your progress.
• Use an application like NTC for your smartphone, which guides you through simple, yet challenging workouts. http://www.nike.com/nikewomen/features/ntc?locale=en_HK
• Create a specific goal and train specifically for it. For example, if you are training for a half marathon, use a mapped out training guide such as Hal Higdon's plan and follow it... http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51131/Half-Marathon-Novice-1-Training-Program
• If you plan on running on the treadmill, incorporate hills, sprints, interval training instead of doing the same level and same pace day in and day out.
• If you want to lose weight and lean out, then try HIIT, Tabata or Circuit training workout that maximize your time, burns calories, and build lean muscle. 

Bringing purpose and intent to your workout  will benefit you by maximizing your time,  having a game plan will keep you focused on your goals, and you will reap the rewards of training effectively. 

So, the next time you go to the gym or prepare for a workout, think about what you intend to accomplish that day or even that week for that matter.Write down your workout and game plan for the week, and then execute each day! Mapping out your week, and daily workouts  will keep you on point, help you manage your time and help you get to your next level of fitness! 

Good luck!

Shit girls say....

40 minute Challenge Workout of the week

40 minute workout challenge

Our Wednesday night class has been working really hard the last few months, so they were up to the 40 minute challenge today.

Here was the breakdown:

Equipment: Weights, Mats and a clock

Do 10 reps of each exercise and repeat for 40 MINUTES! Thats right! See how many rounds you can get in 40 minutes. A few people almost made it to 6 rounds completed, they were half way through the 5th round before the timer went off. 

1. Around the world lunge  Alternate legs (Forward, side and reverse lunge with dumbbells on shoulders. Count all 3 directions as one rep- so a forward, side and reverse lunge on left leg is one rep. )

2. Star Jumps   Squat low- legs close, hug knees to chest- explode up in the air like a jumping jack - legs and arms out and land in the low squat hugging knees

3. Triceps pushup Frogger combination.  Hands close together- aim chest hands - you can do these on knees on toes. Jump feet to outside of arms and back out.

4. Lateral Plank Jumps.  In plank position, jump both legs to the left, then both legs to the right, keeping core tight.

5. Dumbbell Reverse Fly with Row combination . One fly and one row- equate one rep

6. Tuck jumps   Jump up in air, bringing both knees up as high as you can

7. Sit up to squat with dumbbell. Squat to floor, roll back to a sit up, bring weight out in front for counter balance and squat back up

8. Snow Boarders. Get low in a squat, jump up in air, do 180 turn and land in squat stance, trying to touch the floor each time.

9. 4 high knees  4 mountain climber combination ( this was the toughest!)  One combo counts as one rep!

10. Burpees with a push up

This is a great workout if you want an efficient workout that combines cardio with strength.  You can do it almost anywhere!

20 minute Jump Rope Work out

Here's an intense, quick calorie blasting workout for you to try. This 20 minute workout is really similar to the Cardio Jump class I teach and is  great workout if you are short on time.

 Equipment:  Jump Rope, Watch or Timer

Take breaks when necessary- but your goal is to work the whole 20 minutes. I would not advise anyone with knee issues or knee injuries to do this workout.  Ideally you want to jump on a shock absorbent floor, such as wood.... stay away from concrete if you can!

Warm up with some light skipping

Do one minute of each of the following drills

1. Normal Skipping
2. Out/In Jumps
3. High Knees
4. Burpee Jacks

5. Normal Skipping
6. Cross Country Skiers
7. Alternating single leg jump
8. Lateral Hop Burpee Tuck Jumps

9. Up and Back Jumps
10. Front Kicks
11. High Knees
12. Forward and Backward hops with Tuck jump

13. Normal Skipping
14. Twisters
15. Alternating single leg jumps
16. 8 high knees and 8 mountain climbers

17. Normal Skipping
18. Out/In Jumps
19. Cross Country Skiers
20. Alternating single leg jumps!

Cool Down and Stretch

See Video Below for Demo

Warm Up Exercises- stretching the Psoas Major

The warm up is extremely important to do before you workout to prevent injuries,  get your muscles loose, the blood pumping,  and prepare you mentally and physically for your workout. A normal warmup is usually 5-10 minutes, should not feel strenuous, and gets your adrenaline pumping ready to work hard. 

Below is a video with some great examples  of dynamic warmup exercises.

I always make sure to stretch my Psoas muscle aka the hip flexors as part of my warm up. I incorporate the  Samson stretch as part of my warm up routine to hit the Psoas Major. The Samson Stretch is similar to what I'm doing in the photo below except my arms would be raised up overhead, reaching up towards the sky with my fingertips laced and palms up.

"It’s important to stretch the Psoas, because it is the muscle that is chronically shortened if you have a job or hobby where you sit all day.  That constant state of muscle contraction will reset the default length of the muscle fibers to hold in that position until you do something about it.  If you don’t stretch it, it will cause you to hunch over, maybe make the curve in your low back become sway-back.  This altered posture will also cause you to eventually experience back pain."

http://lloydchiro.com/2009/09/psoas-stretch-at-home/

Example of Samson Stretch  

It's time again!

Yesterday I started my training for the Portland Rock n' Roll Half Marathon in May! I can't believe it's been nearly 5 months since I ran the Chicago Marathon! I'm ready to start running again, but I'm really happy about the fact that I'll be training for a half instead of a full!

I ran at Mt. Tabor park  yesterday. It's one of my favorite places to run in Portland. I love all the trails, steep hills and stairs! It's the best place I've ever found for running stairs... it's such a killer workout.

This time around training, I'm hoping to get more speed work in. I didn't do any speed work for the last race, and I felt like I only had one gear. Yesterday I did some hill sprints and ran sets of stairs, it felt great, and I enjoyed the variety.  I'll only be running twice a week, due to all the classes that I teach so I avoid over training. So one long run, and one day of speed work per week. 

http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/portland

12 more weeks to go!!

It all Counts! Some Motivation for Thursday!

Training towards your ideal body when working with a trainer

Everybody has individual goals, tastes and desires. Being a trainer means you really have to listen to what your client's goals are. Some clients want to get faster, build muscle, lose weight, improve flexibility.....  it varies immensely from person to person. We also have different ideas of what our desired body shape is. Some people like a lean look, others curvy, some like to be muscular.... it all depends on the person. That's why it's really important to have good communication with your clients and make sure you are on the same page as far as what you are working towards.

Take my case for example. I spent 2 1/2 years training under a crossfit coach. A few of my goals when I started with him were to learn Olympic lifts, learn kippers ( a type of pullup in crossfit) and lean out, I felt like I was too bulky. I told this to my coach.... What I should of done was show him photos of what I wanted to work towards. To my coach, bulky had a different definition.  Muscular didn't mean bulky to my coach, and in hind site,  bulky meant too muscular to me.

So, my coach had me putting on a ton of muscle....  Did I lose fat? Yes I did. But did I look like I wanted to? No, I looked like the incredible hulk!  I naturally put on muscle pretty easy, and yes I was shredded and strong, but it was not my ideal body type. I wanted a leaner and feminine look.

This experience taught me a lot about truly communicating with my clients and specific training towards specific goals. If you want to have a body like a body builder,  well train like one! If you want to have the strength and flexibility of a ballet dancer, train like a dancer...... We can't fight genetics, some of us will never look like skinny fashion models etc, but  by training realistically and specifically we can come closer to achieve the look we want.

So when you hire a trainer, just like when you go to a new hair stylist, you might want to bring a few photos of your desired look. Make sure your trainer really listens to what your goals are and your motivation behind training. If one of your goals is to do an unassisted pull up, are you doing the appropriate exercises that will get you there? If you want to improve your tennis game, are you doing agility drills and exercises to improve explosive rotation? If you want to lose fat, is your trainer pointing out the importance of diet and nutrition? You also want to do your research and see what your trainer's background is in. If they are an experienced marathoner and their main focus is on training endurance athletes, and you want to get into body building, you may not be the right match.  Look at the condition of your trainer..... I know that someone may have all the knowledge in the world, but it's not a good sign if their job is to motivate and teach you, and they are not practicing what they preach.  If your trainer looks out of shape, don't hire them. Training with a personal trainer shouldn't be all about looks,  it's also about learning to train smartly, safely and improving your health.... but I  can't lie, it's also about getting the body you want.   There's nothing wrong with trying to improve your physique, it boosts your confidence and self esteem and the way others perceive you.

                                               

 

                                                        This was my idea of leaning out:

The photo below was my version of bulky and my trainers idea of what lean was.

Everyone has different interpretations. 

If you want to look like you lift heavy weights, then lift heavy weights!

If you want to look like a long distance runner, train like one. If you want to look like a Sprinter, train like a Sprinter.

If you like the lean look of a dancer or the look of someone who practices Yoga, well train accordingly.

If you want to look like a  beast! Train like Arnold.

Do or Do not Do! Music and Fitness

I've been meaning to write about how important and motivating music can be for your workout. Music that moves you  has the potential to push you to work harder, to run that extra mile,  make your workout more enjoyable.

This is a song by  M1 of Dead Prez that I like to warm up to. The song sets the tone of my workout, gets me focused,  makes me think about my goals and intentions. I'll be posting soon about the science behind exercise and music... but for now here's "5 Elements".





Yeah, gotta get that thing up, you know?
Bruce Lee say, “Do or do not do”
Like that… you know… gotta get some discipline
Stop smoking so much weed, some of these bad habits I got
You know, on the wall at Warrior Studios, it’s like here it’s posted up, you Know
These 5 elements… rock it with me, yo I said


I said, Do, or do not do
Do, or do not do
Do, or do not do
These are the 5 elements, now it’s up to you


(Hook)
50 in the clip, can’t let my fitness slip
RBG for life, these are the 5 elements.
50 in the clip, can’t let my fitness slip
RBG for life, these are the 5 elements.


(verse 1)
50 in the clip, can’t let my fitness slip
The first element is “power”, 10 on the fist
The second element represents “inner strength”
Symbolized by a 10 clip on the fingertips
The third element is “justice”
And it’s symbolized by a 10 clip on the wrist
The fourth element is “wealth”
The hands connect in the shape of a diamond, you do 10 reps
The fifth element is “support”
Symbolized by a 10 clip done with my palms on the floor
“Power” is realizing your strength
“Inner Strength”, controlling yourself
“Justice”, principles, protocols and codes
And rules and regulations we all should know
And “Wealth”, we gotta boss up, economic values,
I have “Support”, you for me, and me for you


(Hook)
I do this for my comrades, I do this for my people
I do this to stay on point for everything that we do
I do six sets of sit-ups, a six-pack
to counteract, the six of Heiny's I threw back
I go out like a 12-round knockout, takin the title bout
Keeping it tone like Roy Jones
Came up like a sit-up, or that Henny I spit up
On my fight, I'm not a punk or a quitter, nigga so get up
And keep your nails clipped so you can bust them in the lip
Keep your pants on your waist, so you can kick them in the face
Keep your shoes laced, so you can beat them in the chase
Can't afford to slip, it's no restrictions...

Eating Clean....

Lately I've had a few clients ask me what "Eating Clean" means. Remember this rule, "If man made it, don't eat it."  Focus on eating fresh and unprocessed foods. Try to get your food from local sources and organic if it's in your budget. It might take a little bit more time to prepare your foods, it's so simple popping a frozen burrito in the microwave, but it will be worth the time in the long run. Clean eating is not a fad-diet. Clean eating is a lifestyle and not a quick fix to lose weight. If you are putting in hours at the gym and hitting your workout outs hard, you can blow all that time and energy by following a poor diet. Eating clean will allow that hard work to pay off! 

  (Of course we aren't gonna be perfect, and it's good to enjoy the foods we love, but keep it moderation and try to eat as clean as possible. It's perfectly fine to indulge every once in a while. I like tho follow the 80/20 rule. I eat clean 80 percent of the time, and enjoy a few drinks or some nachos on the weekend, hey we only live once!) 

Here are some example of clean foods the next time you get your groceries:

Fruits and Vegetables

Fresh fruits and vegetables are staples of a clean diet. Dark leafy greens such as kale and spinach are good clean diet foods. In "The Eat-Clean Diet," author Tosca Reno recommends artichokes, broccoli, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, green beans, and leeks, among others. She also says blueberries are a superfood, but all berries are very good for you. Other clean diet fruits are apples, cherries, figs, peaches, apricots and watermelon.

Basically, any fresh fruits or vegetables are clean diet foods. Try to eat them clean, which means without any added sauces. Spices and olive oil can help make them more tasty. Frozen vegetables are clean diet foods, as long as they are just the vegetables, without any added sauces or preservatives.

Whole Grains

Whole grains belong on any clean diet food list. Whole grains are complex carbohydrates, which are broken down by your body slowly over time. They help keep you full longer, too. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, good sources of whole grains are bulgur, brown rice and plain oatmeal.

Another example of a clean diet food is quinoa, a whole grain used by the Incas. It has a nutty taste and can be found in health-food stores or in the health-food aisle at your local grocery store.

Protein

Most plant protein sources are clean diet foods. These include most beans and legumes including lentils, soybeans, kidney beans, chickpeas and black beans.

Other sources of clean diet protein are lean chicken breast, lean ground turkey, eggs, lean red meat and wild-caught salmon.

Nuts and seeds are also clean diet foods. Consume them raw or roasted without any added salt or sugar. Nut butters such as all-natural peanut butter and almond butter are also good sources.

Lowfat dairy products such as plain Greek yogurt and low-fat milk are also clean diet foods. Other examples are soy milk, rice milk and almond milk.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/214599-list-of-clean-diet-foods/#ixzz1maNF1Uwe

So why would a person want to try Clean Eating? There are a number of proven benefits to Clean Eating:

• Decreased body fat
• Increased lean tissue (muscle)
• Improved energy
• General improvements in overall health and immunity
• Decreased risk of certain types of diseases like diabetes, stroke, heart disease and cancers
• Less consumption of pesticides, artificial food additives and preservatives, sodium and sugar
• Less impact on the environment, since Eating Clean is also Eating Green; the foods you preference in a Clean Eating diet are minimally processed, and thus use less energy and produce less waste than highly-processed foods
• Less expensive. Contrary to what you might believe, Clean Eating is actually more cost-effective and less expensive than eating pre-packaged food or fast food. For instance, for the price of a Super-Sized Big Mac Meal Deal, you could prepare an entire pot of healthy soup that would make more than a half dozen meals that are healthier, more satisfying and more nutritionally-dense.
• Sustainable. Unlike fad diets, Clean Eating is a holistic approach to eating that a person can practice for their entire life. You don’t “go on” a Clean Eating diet — you’re always clean eating.

http://www.answerfitness.com/204/clean-eating-eating-clean-answer-fitness/